Reunited
by Bex-Malfoy
Summary: After she went to his funeral, she never expected Draco Malfoy to show up at her desk at work. Why did he fake his death? Why has he been hiding? Hermione Granger is determined to find out the answers and more. (DHr)
1. Default Chapter

**Title :** Reunited

**Author **: Bex (otherwise known as Bex-Malfoy or Jaxindi)

**Disclaimer **: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Rating : **PG-13 to start with, may go up to R in later chapters due to violence or sex scenes.

**Pairings :** D/Hr, H/OC

**Summary **: After she went to his funeral, she never expected Draco Malfoy to show up at her desk at work. Why did he fake his death? Why has he been hiding? Hermione Granger is determined to find out the answers and more.

**A/N **: This is my first fic on this penname (Bex-Malfoy) but I have written before on , on the penname jaxindi. This is going to be my Draco/Hermione and Blaise/Hermione account and I hope that you like the stories that I produce! I work hard on them and don't even think of submitting them until I'm happy with them. I love feedback and **only** constructive criticism allowed. No flaming for no reason or I'll get depressed and just abandon my stories. That's what happened with my D/G fic, Mutual Feelings which can be found on the Jaxindi account and I hope that nobody will encourage me to finish fics on that account. I will also soon have a Marauders account for all pairings (Sirius/James, Sirius/Remus and James/Lily). I also belong to a Yahoo group for Blaise/Hermione/Draco lovers (And I swear, I am so devoted to it) where I write fics of an NC-17 nature.

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Hermione sighed as she looked around her bedroom. It was her last day living with Harry, she had gotten the keys to her new flat yesterday and it was time to move out and move on. She didn't want a house-warming party... After all, half of her friends wouldn't be able to come, due to them being dead.

The Dark War had taken them all unaware, Voldemort attacking before the Order of the Phoenix could get supplies and people, hit hard by the sheer amount of Death Eaters. Many of Hermione's friends and acquaintances had been killed but it wasn't that that bothered her, it was the loss of Ron, one of the Golden Trio. She had lost her mind at that point, focusing on how to defeat the Death Eaters and blocking everybody out. She didn't have any parents or siblings anymore, even Crookshanks had been killed by the madman. Instead Harry and her had taken a flat in Diagon Alley and lived there for the last two years. But it was all changing now, both moving into separate flats, Harry with his girlfriend Daphne Greengrass and Hermione on her own, able to manage due to her high wage at the Ministry.

"Hermione, are you ready?" came Harry's voice from the living room.

She turned around to face him and smiled. "Yeah... I was just thinking and I suppose I started to daydream again about... Well, you know who about." she admitted.

Harry's eyes softened, turning a lighter green. "I'm sorry, I know that... You know." he said, determined not to mention Ron's name in case she started to cry again. It had been a shock to both of them. It was a Friday night and they had decided to go out for once, turning up at the Burrow to pick up their best friend. Hermione almost blacked out when she saw the glittering green serpent that glared at them malevolently from above the haphazard house that they both knew so well. It was a smouldering wreck, the Death Eaters obviously thinking it wise to set it aflame after they killed the family. The only ones left were Fred, George and Ginny, both of the twins fleeing the country in hope of escaping Voldemort. To this day, neither Harry or Hermione had heard from them. Ginny was a different matter, she lived in London but mostly in the Muggle world where she wasn't known as a witch.

She nodded. "Yeah... It's just strange, that's all." she said as she hugged Harry tightly, blinking back the tears in her eyes. "Are you ready to go?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, I was just reading a letter off of Daphne." he admitted.

Hermione moved back out of his arms and smiled slyly up at him. "Greengrass? A Slytherin?" she teased.

Harry gave her a mock-glare. "Shut up you." he said. "Or need I remind you of...?"

"No." Hermione said, flushing. "That wasn't anything anyway. After all I was drunk and you were supposed to be looking after me so technically, it w_as_ your fault." she said with a small smile.

He scowled. "Damn... I hate that word 'technically'. Do you need any help moving your stuff?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, I'm going to shrink it all and put it in my pockets... I haven't got that much stuff anyway to be honest." she told him. "We had fun, right?" she asked as he pulled into another hug, wrapping her arms around his neck and breathing in the lime scent that was Harry.

He nodded and she felt him smile. "Of course we did Hermione. I can't believe we're both twenty now. I don't feel old enough to be twenty." he joked.

She laughed. "Me neither. I feel like the bushy-haired eleven year I was when I started Hogwarts." she said with a grin.

He curled a lock of her caramel hair around his finger. "Not any more. I can't believe you didn't think to use magic on it." he said. "Smartest witch in a century, indeed." he said.

She frowned and moved back out of his embrace. "Shut up. I didn't want to use magic to fix something for selfish purposes." she said in her know-it-all tone, knowing that Harry hated it.

"Urgh, enough with the voice." he said, although he was still grinning. "I have to go, I was expected five minutes ago. Keep in touch, please?" he asked.

She nodded. "Of course I will."

"You'd best 'Mione." Harry said, looking stern. "Only I know you and your work and your amazing ability to block everyone else out."

She laughed. "I promise, okay?!" she asked.

He nodded and kissed her on the forehead. "See you soon. I'll send you a memo in the office." he promised and clutching his shrunken boxes and suitcases in his arms, he Apparated to the other end of Diagon Alley where he was staying with Daphne. Daphne Greengrass was an ex-Slytherin, but one who had pledged her allegiance to the Order and had worked as a double-agent, almost dying for her role more than once. She had long black hair and ice blue eyes, with unhealthily pale skin, but it suited her. She was funny and smart and understood Harry more than Hermione ever had done.

Hermione clutched her boxes and bags and put them all in a shoulder bag to make sure she didn't lose any of them on the way to her new flat. It was just off Diagon Alley, in a little avenue known as Trixol Avenue. It was a well-known place, the entrance being a little alleyway next to Ollivander's Wand store, but it then opened up into a beautiful courtyard of old flats with astounding views over gardens and greenery. She knew it must be magic as there was no fields and meadows in Muggle London, but she couldn't be too sure in the Wizard version of the place.

* * *

"I need to speak to the Minister, now..." came a voice from in front of her. She looked up and nearly screamed at who she saw. Draco Malfoy was standing in front of her desk, when he was supposed to be dead. She had even attended his funeral, not because she particularly liked him but because she thought that no-one else would turn up. She was wrong, although many of the people who did turn up were business partner's and people who couldn't believe he was dead. He looked better than he had in Hogwarts, simply because he didn't have a cruel sneer on his face or a smug smirk. His blonde hair was longer and no longer gelled back, falling to his shoulders in soft, silky strands. He looked more tanned, as if he'd been abroad and he was wearing simple but expensive black robes. "Hello?" came an annoyed voice and she looked up into his silver eyes surprised to see no recognition in them.

"Malfoy?" she asked. "Draco Malfoy?"

He nodded. "Yes, wait... How did you know my name?" he asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. He turned slightly and Hermione gasped as she saw a long livid red scar from temple to jaw, marring the otherwise perfect skin.

"You don't know who I am?" she asked. She had changed over the years, not in her looks, which were still slightly-above average, but she had tamed her hair into dirty blonde curls and she had put on weight, gaining curves that she never knew she had. She also wore glasses to work and tied her hair back, which she had never done at school.

He shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Granger... Hermione Granger." she said in the way of explanation.

His silver eyes flashed with anger, hurt and then understanding. "Merlin, you look different. I think it must be the hair."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, she wasn't sure if he was joking or insulting her. "The same could be said for you. Why are you here anyway?" she asked.

"I didn't know that you were the Assistant to the Minister of Magic." he said.

She narrowed her eyes. "Why? Did you think I'd be the toilet cleaner as I'm a mudblood?" she said, annoyed of his attempt at being civilised.

His eyes flashed with anger. "Don't call yourself that."

"Why Malfoy? After all, you did for seven years." she retorted.

He sighed. "Look, is there any chance of me getting into see the Minister today?" he asked in an exasperated tone.

She didn't even look at her appointment book. "Nope." she said smugly. "I thought you were dead anyway. I know you were dead, I came to your funeral."

He smirked. "I thought I saw you there. I must say I was quite surprised that you weren't dancing on my grave."

"How did you stay alive?" she asked, her inquisitive nature getting the better of her.

His face masked all emotion at that question and he stiffened up. "I don't believe that is _any_ of your business Granger." he said coldly before sweeping away, his cloak billowing behind him as he left.

She shook her head sadly. "You're just like him..." she muttered to herself, getting a fleeting image of Lucius Malfoy as he strode away from her.

Not a lot was known about Draco in the war. It was acknowledged that he had been on the Dark side, due to Lucius ordering him to have the Mark burned into his skin. However, Hermione didn't know how in hell he would be able to get into the Ministry if he was acknowledged as a Death Eater. She pondered on this thought until her boss came back and snapped his fingers in front of her eyes. "Are you alright Hermione?" he asked.

She snapped back into reality. "Um... Yes sir. I was just... Distracted." she said with a bright smile.

The new Minister was Julius Logdan, who had been appointed after the war as soon as Dumbledore, as always, turned it down. He was a man of about thirty and he was both intelligent and funny, everyone loving him for his decisions and his ability to throw a decent Ministry party. He had been promoted from the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes a year ago, and Hermione had become his Assistant about six months ago. She loved her job and was grateful that her blood hadn't gotten in the way of her getting promoted.

"Any messages?" he asked.

She bit her lip. "I don't know... There was a visitor." she admitted.

He smiled. "Who? Hermione, you look like somebody is about to bite your head off... What's wrong?" he asked.

She looked up at him. "Draco Malfoy was here."

"I thought he might be... It took long enough for him to bloody get here." he said with a sigh.

Her eyes widened at his words. "Bu-But he's supposed to be dead?!" she exclaimed.

Julius laughed. "No... It's not public knowledge yet, but he's been in Italy for three years... Been staying with a friend of his."

She smirked slightly. "Let me guess, Zabini."

He raised an eyebrow. "How did you know?"

"I knew there was a reason that he never let me go in the East wing." she muttered.

"You went to Zabini's manor?" he asked.

She nodded. "We made friends at the end of sixth year... I went over just before I bought a flat with Harry, after the war was over. After all, the Zabini family stayed neutral in the war so I didn't have a problem with them."

Julius had a small smile on his face. "Do you know why Draco was there?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No.. Why, do you?"

"I honestly have no idea. We managed to track him down a week ago and sent him a letter telling him to get back to England, apart from that though, I have no more information than you on the matter." he admitted.

She smiled. "I might just have to have a get-together with Blaise and find out what exactly is going on, that is... If you want me to?" she asked.

He grinned. "Hermione, I knew I hired you for a reason. Collect as much information as you can and go to Auror Headquarters and demand his file if you need it. I'll be getting a secretary in for the time being, you are now promoted to Investigator of the Draco Malfoy case."

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Review? Please? I crave reviews like a crackwhore craves crack! points to the little button saying 'Submit Review on it Go on! You know you want to... nods enthusiastically


	2. Chapter 2 : Blaise Zabini

**Title :** Reunited

**Author **: Bex (otherwise known as Bex-Malfoy or Jaxindi)

**Disclaimer **: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Rating : **PG-13 to start with, may go up to R in later chapters due to violence or sex scenes.

**Pairings :** D/Hr, H/OC

**Summary **: After she went to his funeral, she never expected Draco Malfoy to show up at her desk at work. Why did he fake his death? Why has he been hiding? Hermione Granger is determined to find out the answers and more.

**A/N **: This is my first fic on this penname (Bex-Malfoy) but I have written before on , on the penname jaxindi. This is going to be my Draco/Hermione and Blaise/Hermione account and I hope that you like the stories that I produce! I work hard on them and don't even think of submitting them until I'm happy with them. I love feedback and **only** constructive criticism allowed. No flaming for no reason or I'll get depressed and just abandon my stories. That's what happened with my D/G fic, Mutual Feelings which can be found on the Jaxindi account and I hope that nobody will encourage me to finish fics on that account. I will also soon have a Marauders account for all pairings (Sirius/James, Sirius/Remus and James/Lily). I also belong to a Yahoo group for Blaise/Hermione/Draco lovers (And I swear, I am so devoted to it) where I write fics of an NC-17 nature.

**

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**HorseKrazy08** - It is most definitely Blaise Zabini, not Zambini. I'm afraid those who write it as Zambini are extremely mistaken. Blaise is one of my favourite characters to ship because he has only been mentioned by JK Rowling as being in Slytherin and in Harry's year. This means that I can make him into anything that I want him to be. On LJ, we have a Blaise/Hermione community which I love!

**ucojen -** Thanks honey! I've been writing fanfiction for a while and I do love writing it! I normally write D/Hr smut but I've written a couple of fics with an actual plot! I also used to ship D/G and you'll find examples of D/G, L/J and D/Hr on my other penname, which is under the UserID : 566327, name : Jaxindi.

**periwinklemagic - **Sorry for not updating sooner... It was my 17th birthday on Friday and I've been out driving (finally legal in the UK!) so I've not been writing a lot! I'm so very sorry about that and I'm going to aim and get a chapter out every week or sooner :)

**wontwalkaway** **-** Thanks for the compliment! I've been writing for about three years overall (I used to write BTVS fanfiction and POTC fanfiction before I discovered HP) and so I guess my style has developed over the years. I used to love creative writing at school and my obsession just grew a bit. The best thing about being British is that I don't need someone to Brit-pick for me!

**Trumpetchic -** Thanks for reviewing! I love feedback and it means a lot that people bother to review. Here's some more for you to read :)

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Hermione smiled as Blaise entered the cafe where she was waiting for him. They had been friends since they became Head Boy and Head Girl and things had gone from there. Occasionally their relationship progressed beyond being just platonic friends but he was always there for her and that was what was so important to her. He was Italian, with golden-coloured skin, unruly black curls and the bluest eyes that Hermione had ever seen. He was tall and lanky although Hermione knew that he was certainly muscled under his robes. He kissed her on the lips softly before sliding into the seat opposite her.

"How have you been Hermione?" he asked.

She shrugged. "You know... Getting on with work and all that." she said evasively.

He shook his head. "No... How are _you_? Not work, not Harry, you." he told her.

She sighed. "Getting on with life. It didn't help that I had the shock of my life yesterday." she said, looking at him straight in the eyes.

He raised an eyebrow. "I suppose I can guess what the shock was?" he asked.

"Malfoy. Blaise! How could you not tell me he was alive?! I even went to his bloody funeral!" she hissed, looking around to make sure they weren't being overheard. She had deliberately picked Muggle London because it was familiar to them both and the Ministry didn't like to leave the Wizarding world unless it was absolutely necessary.

He sighed. "A lot of reasons." he said, rustling in his pocket and pulling out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter, inhaling deeply on the cigarette after he lit it. Hermione looked at him closely and noticed the faint violet smudges under his eyes and the almost sunken look he was wearing.

"Blaise, what's wrong?" she asked.

He looked up. "What do you mean?" he asked sharply, defences back in place. It was a thing that Hermione hated about him, the way he could cut himself off from people simply because he didn't want to talk about himself.

She scowled. "Don't do that. What's wrong? You don't look well."

He smiled softly. "You're the only person that's noticed. Hermione... Is there anywhere else we can go? I don't want to talk about this here."

She nodded. "Come on, you haven't seen my new place yet." she said with a grin.

He laughed. "You've moved?"

"Yeah, Harry moved in with a filthy Slytherin after all these years." she teased.

He swatted her arse as they left the shop. "No bad-mouthing Slytherin my dear else I'll start on the House of Dorks, otherwise known as Gryffindor." he said with a smile.

Hermione gave him a mock glare. "Evil Slytherin."

"Reckless Gryffindor."

"I missed you Blaise." she said softly.

He kissed her on the forehead and wrapped an arm around her waist as they walked. "Me too Hermione, me too."

* * *

"So why didn't you tell me about Draco?" Hermione asked as she unlocked the door of her house and deactivated the tight wards which protected the place. She pushed the door open and Blaise smiled as he saw her new flat. It was large and airy, with sunlight coming in through the French windows, which opened up onto a small balcony. She gestured for him to sit on a large and comfortable-looking sofa whilst she went through to the kitchen to put on the kettle. 

He sighed. "It wasn't my place to say anything."

She came out the kitchen and sat down opposite him, scowling. "Blaise... You were harbouring a supposedly-dead man in your mansion... How on earth is that 'not your place to say anything'?" she demanded.

He smiled slightly. "Well, when you put it like that... No, I promised Draco I wouldn't say anything to anyone, you know what he means to me." he said in a soft voice. "Thanks for the coffee." he told her before he took a sip.

She shook her head. "I know what Malfoy means to you Blaise... It's just-I stayed at your house for nine months and you never trusted me enough to tell you." she said in a small voice.

He ruffled her hair. "Don't be stupid, of course I trust you."

She pointed at her hair. "I'll hex you if you touch the hair again." she threatened. "I'm dyeing it back to it's natural colour later... I figure I don't have to hide from the press anymore now I'm the Assistant to the Minister." she said with a laugh.

"I'm so proud of you for doing well, Hermione. Although I always knew you would do... You're just that kind of person." he said.

She blushed. "Thanks Blaise. Now tell me why there's shadows under your eyes?" she asked, wanting to change the subject.

He studied her intently before answering, wondering what was so different about her. She had dyed her hair the dark blonde colour because of the Daily Prophet hounding her and Harry about saving the world. She looked better as a brunette, the colour bringing out colours in her eyes that he missed now. "Problems." he answered shortly.

She laid a hand on his arm. "What sort of problems? Family? Money?" she asked.

He nodded. "Family... Mother's ill. Also, with Draco deciding to return from the grave as such, it's given me some sleepless nights." he admitted.

She bit her lip. "Isis? Is she okay?"

"She'll be okay, well the Mediwitch told her so and the Healer seemed to agree. She has to stay at the family villa for a couple of months and see how she is." Blaise assured her, giving her a small smile.

Hermione looked worried. "Then that means that the majority of the problem is Malfoy." she concluded.

"Yeah." Blaise answered.

She let out a noise of frustration. "Come on Blaise... The Minister has asked me to find out why on earth he's here." she admitted.

He smiled slightly. "Okay... He finally figured it was safe to return to England, okay?" he said.

"Okay." she said in a defeated voice, knowing she wouldn't get anymore information out of the handsome wizard.

Blaise's eyes lit up as he turned to Hermione, her face growing instantly suspicious. "Hermione..." he said endearingly.

She shook her head. "Whatever you want... No." she said briskly.

He frowned slightly and Hermione inwardly cursed him as he turned puppy-dog eyes on her. "Look, I wouldn't ask if this wasn't so extremely important. Hermione, you're the only person I can trust to pull this off properly."

"What is it?" she said with a sigh, pulling her hair up out of her face and looking at him with cinnamon eyes. He smiled at her, knowing that she had already given in.

"Well... A certain Mr. Marcus Flint is throwing a ball for his wife's twenty-fifth birthday and I was hoping you would accompany me."

She scrunched up her brow. "But what do I need to pull off?"

He groaned. "Well, my grandmother who has a certain fondness for you as you already know... Well, she's been telling all her society friends what a great person you are and gossip has spread. Hermione, they happen to think that you are my girlfriend." he said softly.

She laughed, showing her now-perfect white teeth. "Oh Blaise! That's hysterical... We broke up over a year ago!" she exclaimed.

He nodded and his black curls fell into his face. Hermione tutted and brushed his hair away from his forehead as she had used to. "I know Mya... But I need a date and you seem the best person to take."

She sat back on the sofa and pulled up her legs onto the sofa, resting her chin on her knees as she looked up at him, her hair falling about her in a disarray of curls as usual. Blaise studied her intently, wondering if she'd changed since they'd broken up. They had been living together for three months when their relationship went beyond friends and it was a long time until they broke up, their living arrangements getting in the way. Hermione didn't want to become a trophy wife, refusing to give up her position in the Ministry and Blaise couldn't live in England, the Zabini Corporation being based in Italy. He had been devastated when she turned to Harry for comfort, knowing that although she didn't develop a relationship with him, she still preferred to run back to an old friend as opposed to wanting to talk it out with him. Blaise was a romantic at heart and if he had had any choice in the matter, he would have dropped the company into another relative's hands and ran off after her.

"Okay." she said after a while, bringing the wizard back out of his musings.

He grinned at her and she smiled back, blushing slightly as she saw his eyes darken and take her in. "That's great. It's formal dress robes so do you want to go try some on with me or take a girl friend with you? And don't even think of paying for them, they're on me." he told her.

She shook her head. "I'll take Ginny... You are not coming as you will be determined to drag me through Diagon Alley and all other Wizarding places until you have found the perfect robes." she teased.

He pouted. "Actually, I just wanted to see you in your underwear." he retorted, making Hermione blush madly and hit him playfully on the arm.

"Blaise!"

"What? At least I'm honest." he pointed out. He decided that at that point and because of Hermione's often violent tendencies, he wouldn't tell her about the guest list until the night of the ball.

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Review? Please do! With feedback (constructive criticism is appreciated, **not** flaming!) I can improve my work and hopefully you will like it better :)

Next chapter : Ginny and Hermione go shopping and then Part 1 of the ball!


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